His dragon spoke up. Jane isn't known for tiptoeing around people. And since she's out to determine something, she'll do whatever it takes to find out what she needs.
And yet I have to be gentle with her?
Jane is human, like Ivy. So it's less scary for Ivy than if a tall, muscled dragon-shifter interrogates her.
Zain wanted to say in that case, Jane should just take over his job, but he held back. It was unfair to burden one of the human females who had worked so hard to get other humans to like Stonefire and the other dragon-shifters of the world.
But he might need to use Jane again if Ivy didn't open up to him in the near future. He'd keep that option in his pocket for later.
Jane entered and spoke without preamble. "See? I told you. She trusts you more than you think. You've gotten quite a bit out of her in such a short time. So now you need to spend even more time in her company to find out how to decode the remaining encrypted data. The password she gave you was only the first step."
He raised his brows. "I may respect you, Jane, but you're not my boss. Be careful with your orders."
Jane rolled her eyes. "Dragon males." She met his gaze again. "You know I'm right. So instead of trying to fit me into the dominance pecking order, just find a way to get her to trust you completely. Maybe then we can understand both her and more of the Dragon Knights' methods. Although there's one more thing I want to know." Jane studied him a second before asking, "Is she your true mate?"
He blinked. "What? Where the fuck did that come from?"
The human shrugged. "Just curious. You seem fairly interested in her, and that could be the reason why."
The idea was ridiculous, but still Zain wanted to know the truth, so he nudged his dragon until his beast woke up from dozing. Then he asked his beast, Is she our true mate?
His dragon yawned. I don't know. Between the drugs and her brainwashing, the true female inside her hasn't shown herself. Until she does, I can't tell you.
The fact there was even the slightest chance she could be his true mate made Zain's stomach churn. She can't be. Even if she is, I don't want someone like her.
His beast grunted. We won't know either way for a while. But just in case she turns out to be ours, maybe don't try to make her hate us? Because even if you don't want her, I may still do. And since you won't drug me, you'll lose the battle to stay away from her in the end.
Zain mentally grunted. We'll see about that, dragon.
Jane's throat clearing garnered his attention once more. Zain finally replied, "I don't know if she is or not."
The human tapped her chin. "Well, well, isn't that interesting? It'd make quite the story, you know. Former enemy turned dragon's mate. If that turns out to be the case, then you'll need to let me do a piece about you two."
He growled. "Just leave me alone, Jane. Don't you have someone else to bother?"
"Maybe." She turned toward the door but looked over her shoulder to meet his gaze again. "Just don't dismiss it before you know for sure, Zain. And even if she isn't your true mate, it's okay to like her. Some of us fight for love and tell fate to fuck off."
Kai and Jane weren't true mates but were just as devoted—maybe more so—than many true mates inside Stonefire. He muttered, "I don't bloody love anyone."
She tilted her head. "Ivy risked a lot by coming here with that thumb drive, regardless of her own personal reasons for doing so. When you think of her, start there."
The human female left, and he turned back toward the screen to stare at Ivy's sleeping form.
True, Ivy had ventured into Stonefire's territory on foot, risking her life to pass on the Dragon Knights' information.
However, he doubted it was for purely selfless reasons.
Zain suspected it was related to her brother's death.
So at the first opportunity, he'd have to open that wound and find out more.
Chapter Six
A little over a week passed, with no sign of Zain anywhere. No visits to Ivy, no messages. Nothing.
And considering she was trapped in a hospital bed, she had more than enough time to imagine every possibility as to why he hadn't returned.
Even the massages and moving of her limbs had been passed off to the nurses.